


I hold you closer than I ever knew I could do

by yourgaydad



Series: We are human after all [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Father-Son Relationship, Parent Tony Stark, Precious Peter Parker, Tony is Peter's biological father
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-27
Updated: 2018-04-27
Packaged: 2019-04-28 16:45:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14453523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourgaydad/pseuds/yourgaydad
Summary: Tony leaned against the side of his car, a less flashy one than his favorite orange Audi, and looked through the crowd until he noticed Peter, the boy giving him a little wave. Moments later he stopped in front of the man with a smile and a “Hey, Dad” said not too loud but without hesitation. Tony beamed at the word, the novelty didn’t wear off and he still felt a rush of euphoria every time he heard it.





	I hold you closer than I ever knew I could do

**Author's Note:**

> Here is the promised 'two months later'!
> 
> There is no big plot, just a bunch of domestic situations put together, pure fluff after the angst that was Peter finding out Tony is his father and keeping it a secret.
> 
> Hope you like it!

Morning light filled the small kitchen as May sipped on her coffee and watched her nephew adoringly. The boy was chatting about his plans for the week in between the bites of pancakes she managed not to burn.

 

The precious moment was broken when Peter noticed what time it was and jumped to his feet.

 

“Oh shoot! I’m gonna miss my train!” he said with irritation and gathered few things into his backpack before meeting May for a hug.

 

“Are you sure about that dinner on Friday? I can still reschedule-” she started hesitantly while holding him close, but was quickly interrupted.

 

“No no no! You have a date! That’s so great!” he grinned at her. “It’s not like we have to make Friday a tradition or anything… Besides, Pepper can’t make it either so Sunday is even better!”

 

“Okay, tough guy” May kissed his temple before letting go. “Go catch that train. I’ll see you in a week.”

 

“Love you! I’ll call on Wednesday!” he yelled back while running out of the apartment. She smiled fondly after him. 

 

Finding out that Tony was Peter’s father came as a surprise to her, but more shocking was learning that the boy believed she could ask him to leave. Even though two months already passed, she still felt guilty when thinking about it. Did she ever give him a reason to think that way? The fear of Peter choosing to live with Tony permanently came right after the revelation, but she would have never let him know. The teen’s happiness was what mattered the most and if that meant moving away from her to live with his father, she wouldn’t protest. Thankfully, after trying few different options, Peter admitted he couldn’t choose just one of them and proposed the solution of changing between them every week. Everyone gladly agreed to it.

 

Even though she was thankful for the win-win situation, it took her some time to get used to the apartment being so empty and quiet without Peter. Luckily for her sanity, the boy kept her updated with many calls and texts through the week. Rediscovering the pros of not having a teenager around everyday for the first time in years also helped.

 

***

 

Leaving the school after classes, Peter already knew what to expect and directed his steps to the car without thinking.

 

Tony always picked him up on Mondays. The man would do it most of the days if Peter didn’t argue against it. He was in high school after all, not kindergarten. Being picked up everyday, even by Tony Stark himself, wouldn’t help his reputation. The man reasoned that he had lost enough time with his son already, not knowing he existed, and wanted to do his best now, but Peter, even if feeling the same way, didn’t budge. Two pickups on weeks he stayed with Tony was the max he agreed to. The man sometimes pushed it up to three, if he had a good excuse, but didn’t risk it too often. After all, bringing attention to Peter, when the press still had no idea of his existence, wasn’t what he wanted.

 

Tony leaned against the side of his car, a less flashy one than his favorite orange Audi, and looked through the crowd until he noticed Peter, the boy giving him a little wave. Moments later he stopped in front of the man with a smile and a “Hey, Dad” said not too loud but without hesitation. Tony beamed at the word, the novelty didn’t wear off and he still felt a rush of euphoria every time he heard it.

 

“Hey, kid. How was school? Everything fine? Did you turn in your history essay?” he showered Peter with questions but didn’t move from the spot, his eyes going over Peter’s shoulder and scanning the teenagers still flooding out of school.

 

“You are doing it again… Dad! I told you to stop already” the teen whined and looked around just in time to see Flash freeze like deer in headlights, turn around and walk away with hunched shoulders. Peter gave the man an exasperated look. “Seriously, Dad. He doesn’t bother me anymore. I swear.”

 

“I wasn’t doing anything” Tony said innocently, putting his shades on and walking around the car. 

 

“You so did” the teen huffed getting into the passenger seat, but there was more amusement in his voice than real anger.

 

The topic of Flash Thompson was still rather fresh and sensitive. After all, he was the reason of their first… Well, maybe not so much an argument, but a disagreement as father and son. And happening the morning after Tony learned the truth, it was one of their first father-son anything.

 

***

 

_2 months earlier_

_“What are you doing?” greeted Peter that morning as he walked into the kitchen with backpack hanging from his shoulder. Tony was sitting at the island with a coffee and looked at the boy with a frown._

_“Um… Going to school? I just wanted to grab something to eat” the teen’s voice faltered and he looked away. Did he do something wrong?_

_“No, you’re not. Going to school, I mean” the man said and waved at the boy to get closer. “Breakfast, yes, good idea. What would you like? There’s ton of cereal, some fruits, I can make eggs-”_

_“But I- I have to go to school- I can’t-”_

_Tony was in front of him now and tilted the boy’s chin up with a finger._

_“You want to go to school, huh? With that on your face?” he eyed the bruise that changed to a yellowish color over night._

_“It’s not the first time. I’ll make something up” he just shrugged and tried to turn away but Tony grabbed his shoulder._

_“Yeah… That’s a no from me” the man moved behind Peter, pushed him towards the kitchen island and made sure he sat down before continuing._

_“So. Talk time. How long have Flash Thompson been bullying you?”_

_Tony looked straight at him and said it so calmly that it took Peter a moment to realise what he just heard. His eyes widened momentarily and his mouth opened._

_“What- But- How- I didn’t tell you-” the boy stuttered out, his hands clenching nervously and shoulders tensing up._

_“You didn’t tell anyone. That’s the point, Peter. Why didn’t you?” Tony had a hand on the teen’s shoulder, trying to relax him with the touch. He could feel Peter taking a deep breath before straightening, looking up confidently and speaking._

_“It’s not important. It’s nothing I can’t handle and it was the first time he- It won’t happen again. I know it won’t. Just forget it, M-” ‘Mr. Stark’ got stuck in his throat, but ‘Dad’ didn’t come out either. It was all so new._

_“No, kid. I’m not forgetting anything” Tony did his best to act calm when he was full of rage inside. “You said it was the first time, huh? Then how come FRIDAY found eight situations with Flash pushing and tripping you in just the last month? The monitoring doesn’t even cover your whole school so it’s probably much more! And I’m not even starting on the non physical stuff! Verbal abuse counts as bullying as well!”_

_Peter kept a straight face during Tony’s heated speech but frowned at the end._

_“School monitoring doesn’t record sound. You can’t prove-”_

_“Lip reading program. The transcript from yesterday has few holes, but there’s still more than enough. Well, that asshole was expelled the minute I saw your face last night, but with all the evidence it’ll be easier than I thought.”_

_“What? No! You can’t get him expelled just like that!” Peter looked honestly worried and Tony was the confused one now._

_“Yes I can. I don’t want that asshole anywhere near you” he accented, but Peter didn’t seem to notice. The boy stood up, took few steps back and tugged at his hair._

_“But- Flash is a good student, if he gets expelled- He would have to change schools, but Midtown Tech is one of the best here- Where would he go? What if he targets another kid there and they can’t take it? I can’t let that happen. I have to- And- Oh God- It will be put into his record- Forever- What if he applies to college and I’m the reason he doesn’t get in- And then he won’t get a good job- It can ruin his future- His entire life-”_

_Tony stood in front of Peter as the boy started to hyperventilate but he could as well be on another hemisphere right now. Only when he grabbed onto his lean arms, did Peter’s eyes focus and looked at him pleadingly._

_“I can’t- I can’t do that, Dad” left him in a broken voice before he was being hugged tightly by Tony. The man held him close and caressed his hair, taking deep breaths himself._

_“Listen to me Peter. I know it’s hard, but you can’t save everyone. Sometimes they make choices and you just- It’s hard to save people from themselves. Trust me, I know. But it’s not your fault. They make a choice and have to deal with the consequences. Not you. It’s not on you.”_

_Peter was still tense, but his breathing slowed down and his arms went around Tony, grasping into the material on his back._

_“Do you want to know what fathers are for?” the man inquired softly after a moment of silence. The little nod on his shoulder making him continue. “They should make their kids feel safe. And I want you to always feel safe. No matter if I am with you or not. I can’t promise you will never be sad, disappointed or angry, but I can make sure you feel safe. You just have to let me, kid.”_

_“Can you do that, Peter?”_

_It took a moment, but eventually the teen put a bit of space between them, looked up and nodded despite the little frown on his forehead._

 

***

 

_Meeting with the school principal after the weekend was nothing like Peter imagined it._

_He expected to be asked a lot of questions and everybody to look at him skeptically. As if he had to prove he was telling the truth more convincingly than whatever Flash was going to say._

_But sat in between his father and aunt, he barely had to say anything. Both adults fought fiercely for him, at times talking over each other and outdoing themselves in the dirty looks they send the Thompsons family as well as principal Morita when he dared to suggest it was just a usual teenage teasing. The picture of Peter’s bruised face and the video footage changed his mind quickly._

_Peter’s fear that the principal wouldn’t let Mr. Stark get involved in the conversation without revealing their true relation was short lived. Tony walked into the room with his usual confidence, like he owned the place. He stated that his affiliation with Parkers was not just as an employee, but more a friend of the family. It still didn’t technically give him the right to take part in the conversation, since he wasn’t Peter’s guardian, but nobody had the guts to tell him to leave._

_Tony playing the billionaire card didn’t hurt either. The man wasn’t even subtle about it. He straight out said he have been thinking about investing in the school his intern spoke so highly of, but had no intention of supporting a place with any toleration for bullying._

_In the end Tony and May didn’t insist for Flash to be expelled from school, differently from what they told Peter. When Morita suggested a two weeks long in-school suspension all they asked for was a monthly exclusion form the Decathlon Team as well and the principal granted it despite Mr. Thompson’s objections. Peter was quite surprised by that after all Tony told him, but understood it few minutes later._

_In the commotion of the meeting ending and Mr. and Mrs. Thompson still arguing that the punishment was too harsh, Peter saw Tony talking with the bully on the empty corridor. The man crowded Flash against the wall without any violent movements or ever getting too close. His glare was enough to intimidate the teen._

_“The only reason you are still in this school is because Peter is that good of a person. But one wrong move and you are out. If you as much as look the wrong way at my kid or say something I don’t like, no good school on this coast would take you. Taunting other students counts as well. And don’t think I won’t find out. I will. Try me. It’ll be my pleasure.”_

_The words were too quiet for anyone but Peter to hear and left Flash looking at his feet. Tony turned to see his son watching and his angry expression softened as he winked at the boy._

_Peter smiled back._

_His father just wanted to make him feel safe. It worked._

 

***

 

Even though Tony thought of Peter as his son for months, suddenly becoming his actual father brought a lot of changes into his life.

 

He didn’t have to play it safe anymore, afraid the boy would answer with a ‘Sorry, Mr. Stark, but that’s none of your business’ if he asked about something too personal. Now he had the right to be as close and engaged in Peter’s life as he wanted to. And he was using it.

 

When Peter decided he wanted to spent every other week with him, Tony couldn’t believe it was really happening. He was sure the boy would want to stay with his aunt and only visit him on weekends and maybe afternoons. As soon as he made the decision to change between houses, Tony knew he couldn't stay upstate. There was no way Peter could commute to and from school everyday. Even with a personal chauffeur, it would simply take too much of his time.

 

Turned out, it was just another way in which Peter improved his life. Tony knew deep down that living at the Compound wasn’t good for him. Becoming a social hermit, wandering around empty corridors of the living quarters and spending days without seeing Pepper in person took a toll on him. But he wasn’t keen on spending all his time in NY either, he didn’t want to be dragged back into all the social aspects of being a Stark and having press follow his every step. So as a solution he decided to switch between two places just as Peter would. Stay with his son and Pepper on Manhattan, take them upstate for the weekend and stay there as Peter went back to May and his fiancee returned to run the company for yet another week. It didn’t work out exactly like that every time, but it was working.

 

His Manhattan apartment was quickly sold and changed for a two floor penthouse. Even though still luxurious, it wasn’t a space for throwing parties or organising press meetings. No. With the input from him, Pepper and Peter it became a cosy, intimate place. A home.

 

The top floor housed all the bedrooms, kitchen and a simple living room, together with few other rooms, and opened out onto a roof garden. A staircase, decorated with Star Wars posters, lead down to a spacious workshop and a training space complete with gym and boxing ring.

 

This workshop was more of a place for his hobbies and some smaller SI projects rather than the more advanced things he did in the Compound, used to occupy his time when his son was at school or patrolling the streets as Spider-Man. But the best thing about it was that half of the space was Peter’s.

 

At the beginning the teen had two big desks to use. The first one was pretty much a chem lab, equipped with everything he needed to produce his web fluid, invent and test it’s next alterations. He could just go crazy with his ideas, as long as nothing blew up. The second desk was more of a mechanic dreamland, always littered with web shooters and old electronics in the middle of being taken apart or put back together. For an inexpert eye, missing the small differences in tools and parts, it looked just like Tony’s workstation.

 

Even though the teen rarely ever needed help with his homework, he simply enjoyed hanging out with his dad while he did it. He would crash on the floor of the workshop with all his books or make just enough clear space on one of his desks to put down a notebook. Tony accepted it without a word, he didn’t want Peter to stop doing it and the kid still get embarrassed when somebody made him feel childish. But he did notice that the teen would often get distracted to check up on his projects or turn to tinker with anything at hand when he got stuck with something in his homework. So a third desk appeared, together with a comfy sofa and a couple of beanbags. The study corner was placed across the room from Peter’s projects so he wouldn’t get that easily distracted. The teen welcomed the surprise with his usual enthusiasm and made it his regular study spot right away.

 

Thanks to that, Tony not only was sure Peter did his homework without being intrusive or overwhelming, but he got more time with his son. And watching him study was like an extra dose of cuteness in his life. The faces he made while focusing or feeling sceptical about something, talking to himself, messing his hair up with the constantly moving hands.

 

And the moment he was finished with his homework he would jump to his feet, give Tony a grin and run off to be Spider-Man. 

 

Just like it was happening now. 

 

“I’m done!” the teen left all the books laying around on his desk and was across the room in a second. He checked up on the new version of webbing he was working on, wrote something down and was ready to spring upstairs before Tony had a chance to speak.

 

“Hey! Peter! Slow down, kid” the man put down his tools and turned around to the boy.

 

“I will grab a snack on my way, I remember Dad” he stopped himself from eye rolling, but fidgeted in place.

 

“Great, remember that your curfew is half an hour early today as well” Tony said casually as if he didn’t know what was coming the next second.

 

“What? But why… Dad, come on…” Peter whined and pouted comically.

 

“You were late yesterday, you know the rules.”

 

“But I was with-” the teen started but cut himself off, knowing it was the wrong thing to say. 

 

“With May? Yep. And the rules are still the same with her. The punishments don’t get canceled every Monday. I’m always your Dad, not just every other week, right?”

 

“Yeah. Sorry… But I wasn’t even that late, it was probably like ten minutes or something-”

 

“Twenty four.”

 

“So- I’ll be twenty minutes earlier?” 

 

Tony’s sassy look of ‘oh, really?’ was enough for Peter to quickly change his mind.

 

“Alright, alright… Thirty minutes. Got it.”

 

***

 

Tony and Pepper were talking quietly, lounging together on a couch in a soft embrace. The TV was playing but they didn’t pay it much attention, too busy with teasing each other and stealing quick kisses.

 

But then a loud “I’m home!” startled them suddenly as Peter walked into the room and turned his steps to the open kitchen. Pepper hid a giggle in Tony’s chest but the man frowned in surprise. It wasn’t his son curfew yet.

 

Just the other day Peter whined about thirty minutes taken out of his patrol and today he came back over an hour early? Just like that? Tony’s first thought was an injury, but as he turned and eyed the boy crashing around the kitchen in sweatpants and a t-shirt he didn’t see anything suspicious.

 

Peter going back to his room would be a clear indicator that something was off. But instead of running away, the teen approached them with armful of snacks and a lopsided smile. He would have sat on their joined legs if Tony didn’t scoot over quickly, making place in between for the boy.

 

“Hey guys” Peter slipped into the little space casually, moving around until he got comfortable and his head was on the level of their shoulders. Tony and Pepper exchanged a curious look. Sure, the boy was generally a touchy person, but that was a first.

 

“You are early today” the man stated, getting his arm out of the tight space and outstretching it on the back of the couch.

 

“Oh yeah” Peter muttered, opening a bag of chips and cramming a handful into his mouth. “I was just so hungry…” came out a bit muffled. 

 

“And I missed you guys” was accompanied by a wide grin and a quick glance between the two of them. “You are the best. I just felt like I absolutely needed to hang out with you right now. I didn’t want to wait an hour.”

 

Tony stared at his kid quizzically, not sure what to say. The three of them just spent the whole afternoon together. Peter went out for three hours and suddenly missed them so much? Tony brushed the boy’s soft locks out of his face and that was when he smelled it. Pepper’s confused face told him she did as well. The smell was too characteristic to miss. 

 

“Are you high?” the man inquired with surprise. Peter looked up at him with a frown, his eyes wandering all over the bearded face.

 

“It’s kind of relative, isn’t it?” The doe eyes blinked up slowly. Tony was the one to frown now, Pepper just as confused, but Peter continued. “You always say I’m small, but you aren’t much higher. I’m a little higher than Ned and… I must be higher than a lot of other people too… Like kids. And grandmas. Why are they always so small? I mean grandmas. I know why kids are small. Is it the gravity? Huh” he rubbed at his chin thoughtfully before crossing eyes with Pepper and snapping back to attention. “But then if you take something big… Like the Statue of Liberty for example… It’s 151 ft. high and 305 ft. with the pedestal, I know that, trust me... Then I’m not high at all” there was a short moment of silence again. 

 

“I don’t know the answer” Peter said eventually with resignation and slumped even further into the couch, looking up apologetically. The adults exchanged a look, both fighting against laughing out loud. The situation was serious, but it was too funny to watch the boy like that.

 

“Don’t worry, Petey, we do” Pepper reassured and played with his hair.

 

“Really? What is it?” he asked hopefully, leaning into the touch.

 

“You are the highest right now” came from Tony instead. It took him less than a minute to contact Karen on his phone and learn all about Spider-Man getting involved in half an hour long discussion with two seemingly harmless guys who were definitely smoking weed, but Peter, being the innocent nerd that he was, couldn’t tell what it was and kept breathing the smoke in. “What happened to the air filter in your mask, Pete?”

 

“Hm…” the boy looked around as if searching for the answer. “Do you mean the filter that got destroyed during the apartment fire I helped at last week? The one that I was supposed to replace but forgotten?”

 

“Yep. That would be the one” the man sighed.

 

“Oh… Well, I was in a fire last week and forgot to replace it.”

 

Peter didn’t understand the incredulous look that Tony gave him or why he and Pepper bursted out laughing suddenly, but it was nice so he joined them with a chuckle. 

 

“Jeez, kid… You’re baked like a cake.” Tony shook his head but couldn’t stop laughing. 

 

“Cakes are delicious…” the teen said dreamily. “Could I get a birthday cake?”

 

“Is that what you want right now? A birthday cake?” Pepper would get this kid a cake together with the candles if that’s what he wanted. Tony wasn’t the only one with strings to pull in this family.

 

“Well… It’s not really my birthday…” he frowned before getting energized by another thought and almost jumping from his seat. “Could I get a pizza instead? Oh! I could kill for a pizza right now! Well… Maybe not kill, but beat somebody up… Like... If there were bad people… Terrible people that didn’t let me eat pizza… I would beat them up” he finished with a decisive nod.

 

“No problem, Peter. Pizza it is” Pepper said, fighting hard not to laugh, sure that FRIDAY already ordered it. The teen snuggled even closer to her side and took her hand in his, examining her pastel colored nails closely.

 

“Why is it always on my watch? First you got drunk and now this?” Tony faked exasperation in his voice, but watched the two with a warm smile.

 

“Guys! Oh my God!” the boy looked like he just understood the meaning of life. “Spoons are just tiny bowls on sticks.”

 

Tony groaned at the ceiling, fighting the tears of laughter.

 

It was going to be a long evening. 

 

***

 

There was still a ton of things Tony had to learn about living with a teenager for longer than a weekend every now and then. How on earth did parents just know this stuff? Kids did so much incredulous stuff, it was hard to keep up. Tony had just one teen to keep an eye on, but it was much more complicated than he once thought. Sometimes the man felt like he should be taking notes.

 

Making sure Peter wouldn’t eat pizza for three meals a day, even if there was more than enough in the freezer.

 

Never letting him drink coffee. Like, seriously. Never ever. The kid was already too energetic, he didn’t need that. The same applied to energy drinks.

 

Checking that he wouldn’t stay up talking to Ned till 3AM. Unless you wanted to deal with his grumpiness the next morning. Not recommended.

 

Reminding Peter about his jacket and lunch. He would forget one, the other or both most mornings otherwise. He once walked out without his backpack and didn’t notice until he saw Tony waiting at the train station outside his school.

 

Knowing that there could be no such thing as a weekly supply of Gummy Worms in the kitchen. It would be gone in a day and Peter on sugar rush was even worse than caffeinated Peter.

 

Asking about things he wanted and not just needed.

 

And somehow women knew about it all, just like that. He didn’t even mean May who had years of experience, but Pepper. She never lived with a teen before, but she always knew the right thing to do or say anyway. Tony already lost count of the times his fiancee said something, only for him to ignore and then have to deal with the consequences later. All she did in moments like that was give him her patented look of disapproval, ‘I told you so’ thankfully left unsaid.

 

It turned out that even she couldn’t predict everything. Especially when the spider side of Peter got involved.

 

***

 

They spent the afternoon on a board meeting and came home expecting to see the teen in the living room. He had a big test coming up the next day and said he would study until they were back, but the couch that he occupied earlier was empty, books and snacks that usually surrounded him nowhere in the room.

 

The man tossed his suit jacket on the couch and turned to the stairs, ready to check Peter’s study spot in the workshop, but FRIDAY’s voice stopped him.

 

“Peter is in the laundry room, boss.”

 

Tony looked at Pepper confused. “We have a laundry room?”

 

The woman just smirked and rolled her eyes before leading the way down the corridor.

 

They could hear the noise even through the closed doors, the booming only growing louder when they opened the room and looked inside.

 

Peter laid on the floor on his stomach, legs waggling leisurely in air and head propped up on his arms as he studied the textbook in front of him. He had a washing machine on one side and the dryer on other, both working on high rotations and making the booming sounds. Besides the books and snacks that were of course sprawled all around, he was surrounded by piles of fresh laundry. Not two or three small stacks, but at least a dozen taking up every free surface.

 

The adults just stared in confusion, the humid air finding its way out to the corridor and the heavy smell of detergent embracing them. They stayed like that for a moment, looking at each other questioningly. Before they said anything though the washing machine slowed down and Peter raised his head from the book. It must have been when he noticed he wasn’t alone, as he suddenly jumped to his feet and stood in a defensive pose with a short squeal.

 

“You scared me guys!” he relaxed recognizing them and turned off the dryer, the noise becoming much more bearable at once. “So… I did laundry” he stated the obvious with a bashful smile and run a hand through his hair awkwardly.

 

“Yeah, we noticed” Tony said carefully with a raised brow.

 

“That’s very nice of you Peter, but… You were supposed to study” Pepper mentioned gently and looked at the boy askingly.

 

“Oh, I did study” the teen opened the dryer and started to neatly fold the clothes while talking. “I just couldn’t focus at first… Somebody was watching a movie somewhere downstairs, it wasn’t even a comedy, but they just laughed and laughed... There was also a heavy traffic on the street, everybody kept honking and shouting... And just about twenty other things that I could hear… So laundry it was” he gave them a shy look and explained further. “I do it sometimes when everything gets too loud, this way I just have one sound that muffles all the smaller ones. It works and the laundry is done so… It’s a win-win?”

 

“That’s… Very resourceful…” Tony admitted as Peter fidgeted under their gazes, now with a stack of laundry in his arms.

 

“Oh” he seemed to suddenly remember something and handed Pepper the clothes before diving behind the dryer and showing them some metallic and rubber parts. “Your machines were too quiet, I had to take few things out so they would make more noise” he chuckled awkwardly, feeling the blush creeping up his cheeks. “But don’t worry I know what was where, I can put it back in. Well… I think I can…” he ended with a frown, eyeing a part that didn’t seem familiar. He looked up at Tony but the man just waved his hand at it. 

 

“As long as we don’t drown” he said in a fake whisper and winked at the boy.

 

Peter turned to the woman then, who was oddly quiet for a long moment. She was examining the clothes in her arms closely.

 

“Don’t worry, Pep. May taught me how to do it. Sort the colors and don’t mix delicate fabrics with heavy ones. I’ve been doing it for years” he said with confidence, but his eyes searched for the woman’s approval. She stayed silent for few more seconds before speaking.

 

“Tony would build a washing machine from scrap and still have no idea how to use it. You are the best, Peter! You should learn from your son, Stark” she said passionately and gave her fiance a pointed look.

 

“Okay, come on… That’s an obvious exaggeration!” Tony argued in an offended voice. “I can do laundry! I survived college on my own!”

 

“On your own? Oh, I would like to see you say that to Rhodey!” she laughed maniacally before turning serious. “You washed my favorite T-shirt with your oil stained one! It never recovered!”

 

Pepper took a deep calming breath before smiling at the amused teen adoringly, “You’re an angel, Peter” and walking away with the laundry still in her arms.

 

“Wow. That was intense” Tony said after the shock passed. Peter just snickered at his father’s face and started to collect his stuff from the floor.

 

“So…” the man shook his head and eyed the teen closely. “Super hearing giving you trouble?”

 

“Yeah… Just few rough hours. It’s okay now.”

 

“Not that I don’t appreciate you doing laundry” he took a step into the room and straightened one of the piles. “But what about those noise canceling headphones I gave you? I thought they were working okay?”

 

“Um… Yeah. They are, totally” the teen faced away and rubbed at his neck.

 

“So...”

 

“Well the thing is…” Peter gave in with a sigh. “They just work too good. All I can hear is the blood in my head and then nothing more. It’s weird. Too quiet. I can’t focus like that.”

 

“See, you tell me the problem, I can give you solution. That’s how it works, kid” Tony patted the teen on the back. “I can add speakers into them. We can even record this god awful dryer noise if you want.”

 

Peter chuckled at the proposition “Nah. I’ll just have an excuse to do laundry sometimes.”

 

“And keep undermining my skills in front of Pepper, huh?” he marked a playful punch at Peter’s shoulder.

 

“Sorry, how old are you again? It’s really not quantum physics, Dad” he eyerolled cheekily at Tony’s astounded expression and walked out of the room. 

 

The man frowned before shouting after the teen. “It doesn’t make sense, Peter! I do know quantum physics!”

 

***

 

The first time that May got to meet Pepper Potts in person was Peter’s sixteenth birthday. Her nephew mentioned the woman sometimes when talking about spending time at the Compound and it was clear he admired her almost as much as Tony himself, but she always thought it was one sided.

 

Seeing how Pepper interacted with Peter was enough to know she didn’t come just as Tony’s fiancee but because she adored the boy herself. She listened to the teen’s chatter with honest interest, giving him her full attention. May saw the fondness in her eyes when looking at Peter and a decision was made in that moment. 

 

May liked that smart elegant woman. She was good for her boy.

 

The next time the two women got to see each other was right after finding out about Tony being Peter’s father. 

 

May didn’t miss the way Pepper hesitated when the boy greeted her with an excited hug and reciprocated warily, her eyes finding the other woman for a brief moment before looking away. The warmth that May noticed the last time wasn’t there anymore. At least not on the surface. 

 

The initial surprise passed quickly as the understanding downed at her. Of course Tony’s fiancee would feel awkward and insecure. She did become a stepmother to a sixteen year old boy overnight, one that didn’t have a mom to begin with, only an aunt as his mother figure. May didn’t doubt that Pepper was more than happy to welcome the role that the situation put her in, but she was also a tactful person and taking a step back must have seemed like the polite thing to do to show she had no intention of taking anyone’s place. May had to admire her consideration, but there was no place for jealousy or resentment between them. It wasn’t what Peter needed.

 

May took the first occasion she got to talk with her alone. She approached the light haired woman and placed a gentle hand on her arm, standing close. There was a weird tension in between them for a moment, before May looked her into eyes and gave a small but sincere smile.

 

“It’s a small family. Peter should have much more people caring for him, but there’s only a few of us. I’m really glad he has you as well, Pepper. Believe me. He needs that.”

 

It was short and simple, but honest. Pepper relaxed visibly at her words, meeting May for a tender hug and whispering a quiet “Thank you” into her hair.

 

May was occupied by a conversation with Tony later that night when she noticed Peter and Pepper talking across the room. The woman laughed at something the teen said, her arm going around his shoulders and hugging him to her side, the boy staring up at her and beaming with affection. Watching her little boy being cherished was all she wanted. It didn’t matter by who.

 

And just like that, over the course of next few weeks, May found herself not only deepening her relation with Tony over co-parenting a kid together, but developing a friendship with Pepper as well. What started as meeting and talking simply because of Peter, changed into bonding over being the only woman in the house or complaining about some of Tony’s parental choices to each other and became a candid friendship of two strong women.

 

May’s phone lighting up with a message from Pepper was a common thing to happen and on a week when Peter stayed with his father, she knew a little story from their day must have been coming. She opened the text to see a picture of Peter and Tony stuffing their mouths with burgers delightfully, with a one word caption. _Again._

 

The Stark men fast food intake was a running joke between the women, always complaining how their bodies could not stand the amount of fat and carbs that seemed to have no effect on either Peter or Tony.

 

MP: _I’m ordering Thai. Wanna come over?_

 

PP: _See you in thirty. I’ll bring wine._

 

***

 

Peter moved around the stove, splitting his focus between stirring the pot full of tomato sauce and making sure the pasta wouldn’t boil over. He suddenly felt the well known tingling in his neck and frowned at the sensation. He was at the Compound, there was for sure no danger around.

 

The boy barely had the time to look around, noticing Happy sneaking across the room, gun in hand, before the man grabbed him and moved behind his broad back.

 

“Wha-” left him in a huff as Happy pushed him into the closest room corner, covering his small figure with his body.

 

“How many, Pete? Where is Tony?” the man whispered sharply, his eyes and gun trained on the entrance.

 

The teen had no idea what was going on and would have asked, but then he heard some murmurs on the corridor. The bodyguard reached back with one arm and manhandled Peter closer to the ground.

 

In the next moment Rhodey peeked into the room, holding a gun as well, saw them and backed out before ushering Pepper and May inside. The women seemed even more confused than Peter but followed the colonel’s whispered instructions, hid behind the table and remained silent, holding each other close and shooting worried glances at Peter.

 

“Happy?” the boy murmured from under the man, but was quickly shushed as the sound of door closing echoed from the corridor.

 

Rhodey was still by the entrance, flat against the wall, gun ready for whoever was about to come in.

 

“I found prosecco!” Tony waltzed into the room with a smile, focused on the bottle of wine in his hands. “How’s the-” he stopped abruptly in the middle of the kitchen noticing the weird situation. 

 

“What’s going on?” the man set the bottle on the table and looked around. Rhodey was still guarding the door with his gun up, although glaring at Tony rather than where he was aiming. Peter was being crushed against the wall by Happy, trying to glimpse at what was happening under his shoulder as the man did his best to keep the boy down. Pepper and May slowly raised on their knees to look above the table. 

 

“What’s going-” Rhodey was the first to speak, his voice an angry whisper. “Tony! I’m the one asking! You asked for backup!”

 

“Oh” the realisation downed at Tony’s face, only for him to start chuckling hysterically the next moment.

 

“Oh man” he said in between bursts of laughter. “You thought- Pfff! Calm your pants, guys!”

 

Peter still didn’t understand what just happened, but he giggled at his father’s amusement and Rhodey’s incredulous expression.

 

“You still breathing there, Pete? Hap, get off my kid! You’re squishing him!”

 

“Yeah, man!” the teen scrambled to his feet as soon as the bodyguard gave him more space. “The pasta will overcook!” he added in panic and jumped over the man to get to the stove.

 

“Sorry ladies” Tony was helping the women up, still snickering under his breath. Pepper heard enough to move from astoundment to exasperation in the meantime, but May was a bit pale and still bewildered.

 

“What just happened?” she asked sitting down. Peter gave her a reassuring look, she was in good hands and he needed to save their dinner. 

 

“Exactly Stark! We thought there was a security breach or something! Your message-” Rhodey eventually put down his gun and looked lost for words.

 

“Peter and I made too much food so I thought we could use two extra mouths” Tony just shrugged and moved to help his son.

 

“Are you serious right now?” Happy cut into the conversation, irritation clear in his voice as he put the safety back on and tucked the gun behind his belt. 

 

“What did the message say?” Pepper got May a glass of water, regarding Tony’s back with a raised eyebrow. 

 

“Does _Need backup now_ sound like a dinner invitation to you?” Rhodey delivered the final piece of the puzzle and sat down at the table shaking his head.

 

“Jeez, Dad… Should have added some food emojis” Peter snickered and earned a wink from Tony and exasperated looks from everybody else.

 

“Okay, okay… Point taken. I worded it poorly” Tony busied himself with draining the pasta, the grin never leaving his face. 

 

“At least you got these two in here quickly” he looked at the women pointedly and continued jokingly. “We would have to call them five times at least! They are insufferable together!”

 

“Oh, shut up Stark” May eventually got back her voice and was glaring angrily at Tony. “You just gave us all a heart attack. This dinner better be good.”

 

“You doubt that, Ms. Parker? It’ll be the best spaghetti you ever had” Tony acted truly offended, but Peter who was setting the table looked less confident about it. The teen crossed eyes with Pepper and gave her a small shrug, but the woman just smiled comfortingly. 

 

In the rush of food appearing on the table no one noticed Tony approaching Happy who was still standing to the side. “Thanks Hap” he started and patted his back. “What you did today… I ever call for backup again, you do exactly that. But now… Stop sulking and come eat.”

 

It took few minutes for everyone to fill their plates and settle down. First bites were tentative, but followed quickly by more as everyone got positively surprised by the taste. Easy chatter soon filled the room.

 

Peter looked around the table with a carefree smile.

 

It was certainly a weird family. 

 

He couldn’t have dreamt of a better one.

**Author's Note:**

> The ending was supposed to be just a regular family dinner, but then I came up with the 'backup' idea and had a lot of fun writing it so I hope you like it as well! :)
> 
> I thought about how Peter had a tough life so far and probably had to grow up fast, so I really wanted to make him a bit more childish, because he knows that Tony has his back now so he can act like the kid that he is. Yep.


End file.
